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Speech has been one of those touchy subjects with my family. Our first two said their first words at four months. Our last one, and we have a witness, was copying us when we said hi to him at two weeks old. At a year old our first one could communicate amazingly well non-verbally and spoke many more words than most kids as well, including in other languages. She said her first word at four months and was very vocal until about 10 months and then preferred to sit and listen and observe everything very thoughtfully. She spoke around us fine but around anyone else, she just would rather observe and not speak. My mother and sister, who had a very verbal four month younger son, were always telling us that there was something wrong with her. I was like, “umm….how many 1 year olds do you know singing the alphabet in three languages?” When she finally decided to open up around other people, she spoke perfect grammatically correct sentences full of huge words.

My second one started talking at four months and has not shut up since, expect when he sleeps. The kid babbles on and on, even thinking you are actually listening to him while he’s pooping. The third one was/is much like the first. The words he chose to say had a lot of meaning. At a year old those two didn’t say “More” at dinner time but rather would say “Still hungry” and while most kids might have said, “That’s a big kitty!” they would say “pretty snow leopard.” Our son who was two last summer, was shown poison ivy once and for two days, was vigilant about staying out of it. A year later, we were all running around the field and I was focusing on lilac I was planning on transplanting when he, now three, walked up and pointed out that there was poison ivy not a foot from me. The other two kids ages 5 and 7 did not remember it and I had to point it out to them again.

I also went to school with a genius who did not speak until age four and had difficulty until age 6 or so. He said he didn’t feel that what he had to say was worth the time. He wanted to spend his time trying to see everything going on around him (adhd like brain).

OK, what's wrong with our twin boys? At 12 months, neither one says anything. I think one of them said the dog's name a few times the other day. I keep repeating words over and over, read them the same book every night with pictues of different animals and repeat the name of the animal and sound they make...

I think I heard somewhere that multiples don't talk as early - maybe because they don't get quite as much one on one attention? But then when I'm talking to one, the other one is usually right there, and I make an effort to always address both of them equally. Or maybe because they were a month premature.

There's nothing wrong with your twin boys. Our b/g twins are 13 months old and all they are doing is babbling with the occasional mama/dada.

Mine were 5 weeks premature. Not sure whether that has anything to do with verbal skills but I think as long as they understand some commands or questions, their verbal skills will develop.

The majority of the twins in my twins group do not speak either (born March/April 08).

I wouldn't worry too much. I was just at the pediatrician's office last Friday & was looking at their chart for certain milestones & mine fall well within the range even without a hint of an extensive vocabulary.

Honestly - I think we are feeling a lot more pressure as parents for our babies to achieve developmental skills beyond what was expected when we were babies. I got the stink eye from some moms in a park when mine were 10 months old and were revealed by me to not yet have been to any "classes". *gasp*! They will be fine. Really.

My two year old didn't say much either at one. They were going to do a speech test but I said no. She always is a little behind. She was 2 in DEc and she is saying a lot now, everyone is different although as a past Foster Mom I had children who didn't talk at 3 and this was a concern.

The whole "keeping up with the Joneses" breed of parenting really is a waste.

AMEN!

I wrote something on my multiples board the other day about the whole "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality in parenting being tiresome & annoying and needlessly worrying many parents.

I feel that as long as I am engaging my children in a healthy manner and exposing them to the basics, we're off to a good start. I'm doing way more than my parents ever did with my brother and me yet we excelled in school and in our careers. I'm not worried and neither should any parent unless there is truly a need for EIC services.

First off, you have multiples & statistically, multiples cognitive, mental, and physical development is at a different pace during the early years. They were also born early which again, statistically, at 12 months, they are still playing some catch up.

So, your trip to the ped with TWO is completely different than someone with ONE

One REALLY fun & interesting thing multiples do & you may have noticed is that they develop their own communication system with one another. Watch them "talk" to each other & then see if that "talk" carries over into their "communication" with you. They have an incredible sense of dependence & security on EACH OTHER & the way they communicate to each other many times is based on comfort, security & need. While they know that your partner & you are their parents...they are more secure & comforted with one another right now. So, that is some of the reasoning for why multiples have a tendency to develop their own communication pattern with each other instead of the adults around them.

Sometimes, give them the book and let them try to read or at least turn the pages at their own pace. This will also allow you to concentrate on what stands out to them...does a ball catch their attention or does a particular animal...those sort of things.

NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOUR CHILDREN

The whole "keeping up with the Joneses" breed of parenting really is a waste.

For a single birth baby born at the typical gestation period, speech can start anywhere b/w 6-18 months. If at 18 months a single birth baby is showing signs of a speech delay, there is the appropriate speech therapy available if a parent so desires. Some parents wait until 24 months for speech therapy.

They are going to catch on & then again, statistically, they may have a tendency to develop healthier relationships & manage conflict better than the average child b/c they were multiples!

Best thing you can do for their speech development is what you are doing. Don't worry. You will know when to worry. Right now is not it

Not all twins are premies.

Our twins didn't say anything that we could understand until they were almost 2. They were not premies, did not have any other delays, rolled over, crawled, walked early or "on time" they were 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 pounds at birth. I was never concerned since they seemed to talk to each other and they knew what they were saying. They are now 14, straight A students, excel in sports, have no issues what so ever. Our oldest was an early talker, complete sentences that everyone could understand by 18 months, he is now 16, shy, reserved, doesn't like school much, etc.

You will find that parents think they are better parents if their child is doing something your child is not. Every child develops at a different rate and in a different area. If your child is over the age of 2 and isn't saying ANYTHING, that is a concern but if they are talking some, not so much so.

I can't remember how many words they were saying at 1. But I do know around 15/18 months they both had vocabulary "explosions". I would say in a matter of 2 weeks around that age, they went from saying words to full out talking.

There's nothing wrong with your twin boys. Our b/g twins are 13 months old and all they are doing is babbling with the occasional mama/dada.

Mine were 5 weeks premature. Not sure whether that has anything to do with verbal skills but I think as long as they understand some commands or questions, their verbal skills will develop.

The majority of the twins in my twins group do not speak either (born March/April 08).

I wouldn't worry too much. I was just at the pediatrician's office last Friday & was looking at their chart for certain milestones & mine fall well within the range even without a hint of an extensive vocabulary.

Honestly - I think we are feeling a lot more pressure as parents for our babies to achieve developmental skills beyond what was expected when we were babies. I got the stink eye from some moms in a park when mine were 10 months old and were revealed by me to not yet have been to any "classes". *gasp*! They will be fine. Really.

We have many babies/young kids in our neighborhood and we keep having people tell us, "You have to get them into swim lessons and Baby Power". We tried the Baby Power for a month and while it was fun, they weren't doing anything we don't do at hom (play, read stories, play with bubbles..) and as far as swim lessions, I'm skeptical. Can you acutally teach a one year old to swim? Sounds like a waste of money to me. And we'll be taking them to the pool this summer on our own w/some sort of life vests/floating devices. I didn't take swim lessons until first grade.

My 18 month old granddaughter talks up a storm.....you can't understand a word of it but man does she talk!

Her daddy didn't really start saying anything until around 2.

Thanks to those who said....don't compare!!!

Why is everyone bringing up this comaring thing? No one is comparing. Rather contrasting and there is nothing wrong with that. How do you know you love if you do not know hate. How do you know dark if you do not know light. How do you know run if you do not know walk.

Only one person thought their child was behind another and that was resolved. This is not meant to be an argument. I just wanted to know where other children were. Curious.

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